


Bedtime Stories

by PotionsMistressM



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-04
Updated: 2012-12-04
Packaged: 2017-11-20 05:59:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/582060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotionsMistressM/pseuds/PotionsMistressM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Childhood from Belle's point of view.  Written for the Little Red Childhood challenge at LJ's onceuponaland, where the main character had to be a child.  Father-daughter feels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedtime Stories

Rivers were not purple- not even on the moon. The hills of far-off lands were not as brightly colored as her many frilly dresses. And no matter how she endeavored, she would never be able to travel high above the Marchlands in her own personal bubble, iridescent and shiny. Those things could not possibly be true. But she still believed them, because her Papa told her they were so.

Belle knew of no other little girls whose fathers told them bedtime stories. But her Papa was there every night with a new tale, each involving a strikingly familiar little girl with untameable mahogany curls and eyes bluer than the depths of the sea (though the seas in Papa's stories were generally jade or amethyst or ruby- the seas in Papa's stories were _special_ ). The brave little girl went to far away lands where there was no grass or trees and only sand; she traveled all the way to the stars and back. She sailed the seas with a pirate band, and she hunted for outlaws in the King's forest. She fearlessly cut down some vicious beasties and befriended some others who seemed to be desperately lonely. The little heroine learned something everywhere she went, and in turn she taught Belle to be strong, brave, kind, and fair. 

The girl in Papa's stories was far too curious, much too forward, and entirely too outspoken. Belle knew that a real little girl- especially a _noble_ girl- must never, ever behave so freely. A noble girl must never ask why or volunteer her own ideas. A noble girl must never blaze her own trail. These truths were real, but she'd never be able to adhere to any of them. Her Papa had taught her that she could be and do anything she could dream. And despite the dreams of adventures and creatures from foreign lands, the thing Belle believed in most was her Papa.


End file.
